Korada, Pavan and  Sen, Raj Shekhar <br/><br/>
What does intelligence excuse?: Chomsky, Epstein, and the ‘necessary illusions’ of the intellectual class 

 - Economic & Political Weekly  
 - 61(16), Apr 18, 2026: p.13-17 
<br/><br/> Noam Chomsky’s repeated ties to Jeffrey Epstein challenge his moral authority. Chomsky’s defence—which relies on legal formalism and a “clean slate”—contradicts his lifelong critique of systemic power. He fails to recognise the political nature of private predation due to a Cartesian rationalism that privileges abstract intellect over embodied suffering. The article proposes a “resource extraction” model for Chomsky’s legacy: retain his analytical tools but reject the intellectual bewitchment shielding the powerful from accountability. –Reproduced <br/><br/>https://www.epw.in/journal/2026/16/commentary/what-does-intelligence-excuse.html<br/>